The present invention relates to a casket with an inclining mechanism and more particularly to a temporary casket for visitation services where the deceased will later be cremated.
When the deceased is to be cremated, often the family will also want a funeral service and/or a visitation. While in some cases, the family may purchase a traditional casket, this is usually cost prohibitive. Therefore, it is common to place the deceased in a “rental casket.”
A rental casket is a traditional casket that has a “temporary casket” nested within the traditional casket. The temporary casket is normally a cardboard shell that fits within the rental casket. This temporary casket protects the rental casket. After the visitation, the deceased is removed along with the temporary casket, for cremation.
However, it is very disconcerting for family members to see their loved one in a temporary casket. It is especially upsetting to many people to see their loved one lying flat in a casket. This is because the family needs to look down into the casket to say their good-byes
It is much more natural and comfortable to view the deceased when he or she appears to be sleeping. To do this, the deceased is often propped up so that the head is elevated. As such, many funeral directors use pillows, rolls, plastic piping and other materials underneath the deceased's body to prop it up to appear in a more restful position. However, these items can move around, which can be extremely upsetting if the deceased is moved or jostled. Also, when the props need to be removed in order to close the casket, it can appear disrespectful.
In the past, devices for adjusting the vertical height and tilt of the deceased within a casket have generally been limited to traditional caskets. In part, the adjustment mechanisms cannot be attached to cardboard temporary casket walls, and also are primarily made of metal materials. The latter problem prevents the mechanisms from being able to be cremated along with the temporary casket and the deceased.